Labour to field Mirfield Town Council candidates

Mirfield Town Council will hold its own election next month after the Mirfield Labour Party announced it was fielding candidates.

The party had boycotted recent Mirfield Town Council Elections, leaving it in Tory control.

But, in a statement released today, the party said it had decided to fight the 2015 elections because it wanted to turn the town council into a “campaigning organisation”.

Michael Hutchinson, secretary of Mirfield Labour Party, a former Mayor of Mirfield and a town council election candidate, said: “Services like Mirfield Library and Mirfield Community Centre are threatened by the coalition government’s unfair cuts to Kirklees Council funding. The National Health Service, especially Accident and Emergency and maternity services at Dewsbury District Hospital, is also under threat from government policy. The Conservatives have threatened even worse cuts if they form the next government.

“Mirfield Labour Party has decided to field candidates for Mirfield Town Council so that Mirfield Labour town councillors can turn it into a campaigning organisation to win a better deal for our town. They plan to work with Labour Kirklees Councillors and a Labour Member of Parliament to help achieve this.”

“A fresh approach is required that will rise above the Town Council’s traditional concerns. Labour will provide that fresh approach. If Mirfield is to retain and improve local services, more of the same and worse is not an option. The only way forward is to vote for Labour Candidates on May 7.”